The present invention relates to a smart card reader in general. More particularly, the present invention relates to a smart card reader built into a PCMCIA card (also called a PC Card).
Consumer use of credit cards, identification cards for giving access to certain premises, and bank cards, also referred to as xe2x80x9ccash cardsxe2x80x9d, etc., has steadily increased in recent years. This increased consumer activity, combined with advances in the portable computer market, has resulted in a significant increase in the use of a new type of information device, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9csmart cardsxe2x80x9d. Despite being the same size as a conventional credit card, which stores information on a magnetic strip, the smart card stores significantly more information than the credit card by using an integrated microprocessor chip located within the body of the smart card. The microprocessor chip enables the smart card to store and secure a wide variety of information, including monetary value for retail and vending machine use, personal information such as medical and healthcare records, and so forth. Depending on the microprocessor chip capabilities, new information and/or applications may also be added in the field.
In addition to storing more information, smart cards are more reliable, perform multiple functions, and utilize high security mechanisms such as advanced encryption to increase security. This ability for increased security is expected to be a significant factor in making the smart card an integral part of retail trade via the Internet. All of the storage and security advantages of the smart card have contributed to an increased growth in smart card applications.
Smart cards are often used in applications requiring communication via a telephone line modem.
Smart card readers are used to communicate with the smart card. When the smart card is inserted in the smart card reader, the smart card reader reads and writes information from and to the smart card through smart card contacts that connect to terminal points on the smart card surface. The terminal points are connected to the microprocessor chip inside the smart card. The smart card has to be accurately aligned with the smart card reader in order to assure a reliable electrical connection with the terminal points. In addition to the smart card contacts, the smart card reader also includes electronic components and often a microprocessor that interfaces with the smart card. Smart card readers can be separate devices connected to the serial port of a personal computer or can be built into other equipment such as bank terminals, personal computer keyboards, or modems, etc.
Portable computers often have one or two expansion slots standardized by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (xe2x80x9cPCMCIAxe2x80x9d). PCMCIA cards (also called PC Cards) can be inserted into these slots to expand the functionality of the computer. Extra memory, modems, GSM adapters, ethernet adapters and smart cards readers are examples of PCMCIA cards. A PCMCIA card also has the same width and length as a credit card, but is thicker, usually 5 mm. Several functions can also be combined into the same PCMCIA card.
Smart card functionality can be added to a portable computer by inserting a PCMCIA smart card reader into a free expansion slot. Since smart cards are often used in applications requiring communication by a modem, a LAN, or an ISDN adapter, the limited number of available expansion slots makes it highly desirable to combine the PCMCIA smart card reader with a modem or other function.
However, since the length and width of a smart card is the same as the length and width of a PCMCIA card, the mechanical realization of a PCMCIA smart card reader is difficult. When a slot is formed in the PCMCIA card for inserting the smart card, it separates the PCMCIA card into an upper section and a lower section. Because the width of the smart card is equal to the width of the PCMCIA card, there is no room for a mechanical support between the upper and lower sections within the specified dimensions of a PCMCIA card.
This lack of available space for a mechanical support between the upper portion and lower portion can be seen in the prior art PCMCIA smart card readers illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a prior art smart card reader 100 has a length and width that is equal to a length and width of a smart card 102. A slot 104 for receiving the smart card 102 is formed by an upper section 106 and a lower section 108 of smart card reader 100. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, upper section 106 is thinner than lower section 108. A smart card contact (not shown) is located along lower section 108, at an innermost end 112 of slot 104. When the smart card 102 is fully inserted into slot 104 of smart card reader 100, the terminal points on the smart card surface come in contact with the smart card contact of smart card reader 100.
The type of smart card reader illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B has no mechanical support between the front end of upper section 106 and lower section 108, making the long unsupported upper section 106 of the smart card reader weak. The function of the upper section 106 is to push the smart card against the smart card contact to assure electrical contact. However, when the smart card is to be inserted, it is not guided or aligned laterally by the smart card reader itself. Only the guides inside the PCMCIA slot, which are meant to guide the PCMCIA card, will guide the smart card. Since the guides are located at some distance from the slot opening within the PCMCIA card slot, the smart card must be inserted a significant distance within the PCMCIA card slot before receiving sufficient support by the guides. The long smart card slot 104 occupies a large amount of space within the PCMCIA card, limiting the room for additional functions.
The type of smart card reader illustrated in FIGS. 1C and 1D adds mechanical support between the upper and lower sections 106 and 108 including guiding for the smart card insertion. However, since the PCMCIA and smart card standards stipulate the same width of 1F both cards, the support cannot be placed within the standardized dimensions of the PCMCIA card without intruding within the space required for inserting the smart card within the PCMCIA card. Instead, a support 114 is placed such that the length of the PCMCIA card is increased, which causes smart card reader 100 to extend outside of the PCMCIA card slot of the computer device, making smart card reader 100 prone to physical damage during transport of the computer device. As a result, smart card reader 100 must be removed when transporting the computer device, which tends to be annoying given the portable nature of a lap top computer device.
In both types of prior art smart card readers illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D, a printed circuit board, (xe2x80x9cPCBxe2x80x9d), (not shown) is positioned along lower thicker section 108 of smart card reader 100. The PCB houses both electronic components for the smart card reader as well as the smart card contact. The electronic components and the smart card contact are soldered to the bottom side of the circuit board with the smart card contact arising from a hole in the PCB. When inserting the smart card 102, it rides along the top surface of the PCB. Therefore, only the bottom side of the PCB can be used for mounting components and the available space is further limited by the smart card contact. Thus, room for additional functions within the PCMCIA card is very limited. The hole in the PCB for the smart card contact is a further obstacle when adding modem functionality, which requires a high voltage insulation barrier to the telephone line connection.
Another problem in PCMCIA smart card readers is that the PCMCIA card slot is normally located at the side of the computer. It is therefore difficult for a user to see the slot in which the smart card is to be inserted, making insertion of the smart card difficult.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a PCMCIA smart card reader that is mechanically stable and still fits entirely within a PCMCIA slot.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a PCMCIA smart card reader that more efficiently uses the available space inside the PCMCIA card to allow additional functions to be included.
It is another further object of the present invention to provide a PCMCIA smart card reader that makes insertion of a smart card less difficult.
The objective of realizing a stable mechanical design without any protruding part from the computer is achieved by forming a very thin support between the upper and lower sections of the smart card reader at the opening of the smart card slot, where some lateral space normally is available inside the PCMCIA card slot. The support is preferably an integrated part of the PCMCIA top cover which usually is made of 0.2 mm stainless steel. The support between the upper and lower sections of the smart card reader also serves to guide the smart card laterally. Therefore, according to the invention,. there is provided a smart card reading apparatus that fits inside a PCMCIA slot in a computing device. The smart card reading apparatus includes upper and lower sections having at a front end an opening to form a smart card slot for insertion of a smart card, and a lateral smart card guide member located close to the front end outside of the smart card slot, so that the smart card reading apparatus is positionable substantially within the PCMCIA slot. According to the invention, there is also provided a smart card reading apparatus to fit inside a PCMCIA slot in a computing device that includes upper and lower sections having at a front end an opening to form a smart card slot for insertion of a smart card, and a smart card guide member located adjacent the front end outside the smart card slot and positionable inside the PCMCIA slot. By being xe2x80x9cpositionable substantially withinxe2x80x9d the PCMCIA slot as noted above, the smart card reading apparatus is considered to be positioned entirely within the PCMCIA slot, or in such a way that there may be some minor extension, such as those due to manufacturing tolerances, but with no protruding parts, such as those interfering with transport of a computer device in which the smart card reading apparatus is inserted.
The objective of more efficient usage of the available space inside the PCMCIA card is achieved by the above described design, which allows that only a small portion of the smart card is inserted into the PCMCIA card, and by integrating the smart card contact with the thin upper section of the smart card reader instead of the thicker lower section as in the prior art. Therefore, according to the invention, there is provided a smart card reading apparatus to fit inside a PCMCIA slot in a computing device having a thin upper section and a lower section containing electronic components for the smart card reader. The upper and lower sections have, at a front end, an opening to form a smart card slot for insertion of a smart card. The smart card reading apparatus also has an interfacing means for communicating with a smart card inserted into the smart card slot arranged in the thin upper section.
The objective of easing the insertion of the smart card is achieved by adding to the above described design, which guides the smart card insertion laterally, a removable extension to the smart card reader forming a horizontal support surface for the smart card. The removable extension is preferably integrated with a connector for an additional function in the PCMCIA card, e.g. the telephone cable connector of a modem function.